Cheryl Loh | Freelance Graphic Designer and Illustrator

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Creative Communications Specialist for a crown corporation based in Vancouver, B.C. We are responsible for facilitating trade between Canada and other world economies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Cheryl Loh | Freelance Graphic Designer?

So far, we've worked with Cheryl on a number a number of infographics and illustrations, for both internal and external audiences.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Cheryl worked with a colleague in the past, and when we determined we needed someone we could turn to for more creative projects, such as illustrations and infographics, she was a natural choice. One look at her portfolio was enough for us to know she would be a great fit for the look and feel we were aiming to deliver.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

I've worked with Cheryl on a number of projects, each with unique deliverables, but typically, each project starts with me drafting a creative brief that outlines the background of the project, our timeline, and our expected end result. Cheryl then comes back with any questions she may have to understand exactly what we are looking for, and after those questions are answered, she then provides a detailed estimate that includes a realistic timeline. Typically, the first iteration of her work is aligned with what we had envisioned, and from there, it is just some back and forth via email to tweak layout and other design elements so they are in line with the needs of the project.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We only worked with Cheryl.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Cheryl's estimates are exceptionally thorough and outline every step of the design process, including the time she needs for each aspect, what is expected of us as far as reviews are concerned, and a detailed timeline for completion.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Cheryl is very easy to work with and a great communicator. Given the nature of my role, it is easy to get bogged down in other projects, but Cheryl is fantastic at sending reminders for project deadlines. If deadlines are not met, it is because my team did not get our feedback/reviews back to her in a timely manner.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

There is something about Cheryl's ability to translate text from a creative brief into an illustration or infographic that accurately captures what it is we are trying to accomplish. I'm always amazed at how she can take content that some might consider boring and turn it into something creative and engaging.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

None that I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I work as a communications manager overseeing digital strategy at a community foundation in Vancouver, British Columbia.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Cheryl Loh | Freelance Graphic Designer?

We hired Cheryl Loh to design a holiday e-card that we send to our donors each year.

SOLUTION

How did you select Cheryl Loh | Freelance Graphic Designer and what were the deciding factors?

We selected Cheryl because of her diverse, playful design style which felt like a fit for this project and our brand in general. We often require graphic design work and thought this would be a great project to try someone new out. (We have since worked with Cheryl on other projects because she proved to be stellar.)

It was also important to our organization that we prioritize BIPOC vendors in our selection process.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

I met with Cheryl for an initial discovery call where we narrowed down a few potential design options. After discussion with my team, we selected our chosen design concept and she went ahead with a mock-up. We did one round of revisions and the piece was ready for use.

How many resources from the Cheryl Loh | Freelance Graphic Designer team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Cheryl was the sole collaborator.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Feedback was overwhelmingly position on the design both internally from staff and externally from donors. Given the difficult year in 2020, we wanted to make sure that we hit the right tone with a card that represented community, connection despite distance, warmth, diversity, and inclusion.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Cheryl is extremely well organized and had the scope and process clearly defined in her contract. She listened closely to my input and directions during all stages and paraphrased the requests back in emails and calls to ensure we were all on the same page.

Great project management skills and she takes advantage of helpful software for contracts and workflow.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

I was impressed how attentive Cheryl was at incorporating all of our requests into a fun, creative piece. Additionally, it was very easy to work with her because she was so well organized.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Nope!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I work at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority as a marketing and digital communications advisor. Areas of responsibility include integrated communications campaign planning, content marketing, and social media management.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Cheryl Loh | Freelance Graphic Designer?

We have worked with Cheryl on various occasions to help us develop social media graphics, infographics for both print and the website, and other marketing materials. We don't have in-house designers, so we very much see Cheryl as an extension of our team to be able to complete graphic design work.

What were your goals for this project?

For a lot of work we do with Cheryl, it usually entails the creation of engaging and eye-catching materials that leverage her unique skill of simplifying complex information into something that is digestible and relatable.

SOLUTION

How did you select Cheryl Loh | Freelance Graphic Designer?

We conducted an online search for designers who had a portfolio that best suited our needs. Cheryl has the ability to do both graphic design and illustration, which we needed. Finding illustrators was hard as each person has their unique style but Cheryl is able to tailor illustrations to various corporate clients and adapt to their overall brand look and feel.

Describe the project in detail.

Once we selected Cheryl to take on projects, we briefed her on our corporate brand guidelines and provided past work as references. Very quickly, Cheryl absorbed this information.

When we provided her with project information to work with, Cheryl takes her time to absorb the materials to find the best way to convey the information. This was made obvious by the questions that she asked from the start, which really helped increase efficiency and reduced the need for much revision in her work.

What was the team composition?

We have an internal project manager and Cheryl was our freelance designer. Cheryl and our project managers collaborate on project scope, budget, and establishing timelines.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We've worked with Cheryl on multiple projects and on many occasions, we receive notes from our stakeholders commenting on good work. For some of our social media graphics, her graphics work was associated with our top-performing social posts based on engagement.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

FANTASTIC! When Cheryl puts together a project timeline, she sticks to it and always delivers. She's transparent with what she is able to achieve, so you can always trust her timelines. There are times when we may require more time internally, and she is always understanding and sends through an updated schedule based on new dates.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The breadth of the design and illustration skills were impressive. Also, the thoughtfulness and care that she takes in her work.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not that I can think of!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

A mission venture capital firm, investing and supporting early growth stage companies operating in the sustainable consumer goods and environmental technology sectors. My role is Sr Operations Associate & Sustainability Coordinator.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Cheryl Loh / Graphic Designer?

We were looking for someone with talent in graphic design to help convey the impact of our most recent fund, Renewal4. This would be a client-facing and potentially public-facing document that would need to demonstrate our firm's sustainability commitments and several impact metrics for 5 portfolio companies.

What were your goals for this project?

We were looking to communicate our impact in a way that was easily digestible for anyone reading the report, while ensuring that key elements and important metrics were captured. Our goal was to present a report to our investors that had useful and accurate content, while also appearing very professional.

SOLUTION

How did you select Cheryl Loh / Graphic Designer?

We reviewed Cheryl's portfolio of work and held an in-camera interview. Over 30 applicants were considered.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

When we contacted Cheryl, we were on an extremely tight deadline. Based on an initial call where we explained our needs and provided a very rough draft, Cheryl was able to quickly turn-around a thoughtful, attractive product.

We communicated via email and phone primarily, and Cheryl promptly turned around PDF versions that were easily commented on. The end product included both print and web versions, and would be both client facing and public-facing.

She was able to turn-around copies that captured our branding in a refreshed way (including a brand new and immediately adored colour palette), and communicated key factors in a clean, eye-catching and succinct manner. The infographics she designed were perfect for our messaging.

What was the team composition?

We worked directly with Cheryl the entire time.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The end product reflected Cheryl's obvious talent and aptitude in producing a high quality product under a tight timeline. When the final version was shared with upper management, it was immediately approved to go out to clients.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The entire process was streamlined and efficient. Cheryl communicated her schedule with plenty of notice, and she was able to complete the project under a very tight timeline and with minimal back-and-forth.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Cheryl's obvious talent and knowledge of design was incredibly impressive. She also provided thoughtful input in the presentation of certain graphics to better convey the messaging. Importantly, she is a lovely and very pleasant person in general. It was a treat to work with her from start to finish.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No.